U.S. patent number 6,481,704 [Application Number 09/664,582] was granted by the patent office on 2002-11-19 for setting an apparatus for assembling mail items.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Neopost B.V.. Invention is credited to Bert Koster, Herman Sytema.
United States Patent |
6,481,704 |
Koster , et al. |
November 19, 2002 |
Setting an apparatus for assembling mail items
Abstract
In determining a setting condition of an apparatus for
assembling mail items from mail components (20, 21, 23, 25) it is
detected, in a setting phase, in which of a number of feeder
stations (1, 2, 34, 35) of that apparatus mail components (20, 21,
23, 25) are present. Feeder stations (1, 2, 34, 35) in which mail
components are present are automatically brought into an operating
condition, and feeder stations (1, 2, 34, 35) in which no mail
components are present are automatically brought into a
non-operating condition. As a result, at the start-up of the
apparatus, on the basis of the loading thereof, it is automatically
determined which station is to be brought into an operating
condition and which are to remain standby. An apparatus
specifically arranged for practicing the proposed method is also
described.
Inventors: |
Koster; Bert (Drachten,
NL), Sytema; Herman (Terhorne, NL) |
Assignee: |
Neopost B.V. (Drachten,
NL)
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Family
ID: |
19769898 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/664,582 |
Filed: |
September 18, 2000 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Sep 17, 2000 [NL] |
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1013084 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
270/58.23;
270/52.02; 270/56; 270/58.02; 271/9.11; 271/9.13 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65H
39/042 (20130101); B65H 43/02 (20130101); B65H
2301/4318 (20130101); B65H 2511/40 (20130101); B65H
2511/51 (20130101); B65H 2513/514 (20130101); B65H
2551/20 (20130101); B65H 2511/40 (20130101); B65H
2220/01 (20130101); B65H 2511/51 (20130101); B65H
2220/01 (20130101); B65H 2513/514 (20130101); B65H
2220/02 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65H
39/042 (20060101); B65H 43/00 (20060101); B65H
43/02 (20060101); B65H 39/00 (20060101); B65H
039/642 () |
Field of
Search: |
;271/9.01,251.01,9.11,9.13,3.03
;270/58.02,58.03,52.02,58.23,58.24,58.25,58.26,56 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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556922 |
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Aug 1993 |
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EP |
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781671 |
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Jul 1997 |
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EP |
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2619366 |
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Feb 1989 |
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FR |
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1443124 |
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Jul 1976 |
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GB |
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2001072323 |
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Mar 2001 |
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JP |
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Primary Examiner: Ellis; Christopher P.
Assistant Examiner: Mackey; Patrick
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Burns, Doane, Swecker & Mathis,
LLP
Claims
We claim:
1. A method for determining a setting condition of an apparatus for
assembling mail items from mail components, wherein the apparatus
includes a number of feeder stations, the method comprising
detecting, in a setting phase, in which of the feeder stations the
mail components are present, in response to detecting during said
setting phase the presence of at least one mail component in at
least one of said feeder stations, in the setting condition
determined by the apparatus, said at least one of said feeder
stations is in an operating condition, and in response to not
detecting during said setting phase the presence of at least one of
the mail components in another of said feeder stations, said
another of said feeder stations is in a non-operating
condition.
2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising: generating,
in an operating phase of said apparatus, signals indicating that
one of said feeder stations is empty or is becoming empty, in
response to, in combination: detection of the absence of at least a
minimum of one mail component in said one feeder station and said
one feeder station being in the operating condition.
3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the detection of the
presence of a mail component in the at least one of said feeder
stations comprises: controlling said at least one of said feeder
stations for feeding a mail component and subsequently detecting
downstream of said at least one of said mail feeder stations
whether the mail component passes.
4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising: the step of
signaling in human-perceptible form which of said feeder stations
are in the operating condition.
5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising: selecting at
least one further setting, depending on the at least one of said
feeder stations being in the operating condition.
6. An apparatus for assembling mail items from mail components,
comprising: a number of feeder stations for feeding mail components
to be processed into mail items, means for detecting actual data
regarding the mail components loaded into the feeder stations of
the apparatus, a control unit for determining, in response to said
actual data, at least one setting of the apparatus, detection means
coupled with said control unit for detecting in a setting phase in
which of said feeder stations the mail components are present,
wherein in said setting condition of the apparatus at least one of
said feeder stations is in an operating condition in response to
the detected presence of at least one mail component in said at
least one of said feeder stations, and, in response to a
non-detection of the presence of at least one of the mail
components in another of said feeder stations, said another of said
feeder stations is in a non-operating condition.
7. An apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising: a
detector for detecting mail components in a position downstream of
at least one of said feeder stations, which detector is coupled
with said control unit, the control unit being arranged for
controlling one of said feeder stations for feeding a mail
component and subsequently detecting downstream of said one
controlled feeder station whether a mail component passes, and
generating mail component present signal if subsequently a
detection signal is received from said detector and generating a
mail component absent signal if subsequently within a particular
time interval no detection signal is received from said
detector.
8. An apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising: signaling
means for signaling in human-perceptible form which of said feeder
stations are in the operating condition.
9. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said control unit is
arranged for determining at least one further setting depending on
said at least one of said feeder stations being in the operating
condition.
10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said feeder stations
are arranged for feeding different sizes of the mail
components.
11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said feeder
stations are envelope feeder stations.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a method for determining a setting
condition of an apparatus for assembling mail items from mail
components, and to an apparatus for assembling mail items from mail
components.
Such a method and such an apparatus are known from European patent
specification 0 556 922. In that specification, it is proposed to
feed and scan a number of documents prior to starting a run. Data
regarding these documents, such as length and identification, as
obtained in scanning, can be stored. These data can subsequently be
used in controlling the system, for instance for actuating selected
feeder stations for feeding one or more documents contained
therein, or for setting a folding station. In particular, it can be
determined which insert documents are located in which feeder
stations. These feeder stations can then be actuated, when
assembling the mail items, depending on indicia on the main
documents, which indicia indicate what insert documents are to be
added. Accordingly, in that case, the system itself determines
which feeder stations are to be actuated during that run in order
for the correct insert documents to be added to a main
document.
A drawback of this system is that the setting of the system must be
set prior to a run or job, so as to indicate which feeder stations
are to be used during that run. If this not done and, for instance,
all feeder stations are on, `error` reports or `empty` reports will
be generated for the unfilled units, because no documents will have
been placed in those units.
More common in practice, for that matter, are systems in which each
mail item has the same composition, which is determined by the
selection of feeder stations which have been turned on. Such
systems also present the problem that the operator of the apparatus
must specify which feeder stations are to be used during a
particular job or run, because otherwise undesirable `error`
reports or `empty` reports will be generated. In response to such
reports, systems generally switch to a standby mode which is not
left until operational interventions have been detected in the
system, such as opening a valve or filling a tray.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a solution with which
activities which are to be carried out prior to the execution of a
job or run in a mail assembly system with a plurality of feeder
stations which are not all of them to be used all the time, can be
limited and simplified.
According to the present invention, this object is achieved by
providing a method for determining a setting condition of an
apparatus for assembling mail items from mail components,
comprising detecting, in a setting phase, in which of a number of
feeder stations mail components are present, while in response to
the detection, during the setting phase, of at least one mail
component in at least one specimen of the feeder stations in the
setting condition determined by the apparatus, that at least one
specimen of the feeder stations is in operating condition, and in
response to the non-detection, during the setting phase, of the
presence of at least one mail component in another specimen of the
feeder stations, the other specimen of the feeder stations is in
non-operating condition.
The invention further provides an apparatus for assembling mail
items from mail components, comprising a number of feeder stations
for feeding mail components to be processed into mail items, means
for detecting actual data regarding mail components loaded into
feeder stations of the system, a control unit for determining, in
response to the actual data, at least one setting of the system,
detection means coupled to the control unit for detecting in a
setting phase in which of the feeder stations mail components are
present, while in the setting condition of the system, at least one
specimen of the feeder stations is in operating condition in
response to the detected presence of at least one mail component in
the at least one feeder station, and, in response to the
non-detection of the presence of at least one mail component in
another specimen of the feeder stations, this other specimen of the
feeder stations is in non-operating condition. Such an apparatus is
specifically adapted for carrying out the proposed method.
As the determination of whether a feeder station is to be brought
into an operating condition or non-operating condition is done
automatically, depending on the detection, or non-detection, in a
setting phase, in which of the feeder stations mail components are
present, and subsequently, in an operating phase, exclusively
feeder stations that are in operating condition are controlled for
activation, then exclusively those feeder stations in which mail
components are present are brought into an operating condition,
without the operator needing to determine which feeder stations are
to be active or non-active. By ensuring prior to a run or job that
the mail components to be processed, such as documents, inserts and
envelopes in which these are to be packaged are placed in the
different feeder stations, it is thus automatically accomplished
that only the filled, and hence useable, feeder stations are
operatively controlled for feeding documents. It can also be
provided that only that system setting condition or those system
setting conditions is or are proposed to the operator that fit the
configuration of loaded and non-loaded feeder stations. The actual
bringing into the operating condition, or non-operating condition,
of the feeder stations is then done after confirmation of a
selection of a system setting condition by the user.
Further objects, aspects, effects and details of the invention are
described below with reference to an exemplary embodiment presently
preferred most, represented in the drawing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The drawing is a cutaway diagrammatic side elevation of a system
according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The system represented in the drawing is equipped with a number of
feeder stations in the form of document feeder stations 1 for
feeding documents 20, 21, 23, a printer 2 for printing sheets 25
and feeding thus obtained documents, and envelope feeder stations
34, 35 for feeding envelopes.
The first four feeder stations are designed as document feeder
stations 1. Each of the document feeder stations 1 comprises a
magazine 5, a supply roller 6, a separation roller 7, a transport
roller 8 and a pair of feed rollers 9. An example of a separation
facility suitable for use in a document feeder station 1 according
to the exemplary embodiment shown is described in more detail in
U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,037, which is hereby referred to.
The printer 2 comprises a magazine 10 for sheets to be printed and
a pair of feed rollers 11 for feeding a printed sheet at a suitable
moment. The printer 2 is further so designed that printing a sheet
is each time completed before the sheet reaches a waiting position
between the feed rollers 11.
The feeder stations 1, 2 are connected to a feed track 3 having a
series of opposed transport rollers 12, 13, 14.
The apparatus shown further comprises an aligning station 16 for
aligning documents associated with a particular set, into a stack
having on one side substantially aligned document edges.
The aligning station is designed as a head station having an
aligning surface 19 with a stop 26 and a discharge track 36 in line
with the aligning surface 19. Upstream of the aligning surface, the
aligning station 16 has transport rollers 27, 28, 29, 30, and
guides 61, 62, and the aligning surface 19 is formed by a portion
of a conveyor belt 17 passing over a support.
The documents can be transported in a feeding direction against the
stop 26 and subsequently be discharged in opposite direction to a
folding station 32. The aligned document edges then form the
trailing edge of the stack, which is advantageous in folding the
stack.
Provided opposite the aligning surface 19 is a conveyor belt 17,
which runs approximately parallel to the aligning surface 19, can
exert some pressure on the aligning surface 19 and has a greater
coefficient of friction with respect to documents than does the
aligning surface 17 which moreover is provided with rollers for
further limiting the friction between documents and that surface.
By driving the belt 17 in the direction of the stop 26, documents
present between the aligning surface 19 and the belt 17 can be
urged against the stop 26, so that the document edges on the side
of the stop 26 are mutually aligned.
The aligning surface 19 is convexly curved in the direction of
movement of the stop 26. Due to the tension of the circulating belt
17 of the press-on means, the belt 17, in an area contiguous to the
stop 26, exerts a uniformly distributed pressure in the direction
of the aligning surface 19.
By driving the conveyor belt 17, a document can be moved over the
surface 19 against the stop 26. A next document, which has been
passed partly between the preceding document and the conveyor belt
17, will slide over the preceding document, likewise against the
stop 26, when the belt 17 is driven in the direction of the stop
26. Thus, successive documents can be aligned.
The folding station 32 is provided with a first and a second pair
of folding rollers 37, 38 and 39, 40, with the discharge track 36
passing between the folding rollers 37, 38 and 39, 40. Between the
stop 26 and the folding rollers 37, 38 and 39, 40, respectively,
deflectors 41 and 42 are arranged for deflecting the edge of a
stack located remote from the stop 26. Opposite a folding nip
between each pair of folding rollers 37, 38 and 39, 40, a folding
knife 43, 44 is arranged for pressing a deflected portion of a
document or a stack of document into the folding nip.
After alignment of the documents of a stack in the aligning station
16, it is first moved against the feeding direction and then to the
folding station 32. In the process, at least if the stack is to be
folded, the edge of the stack remote from the stop 26 and a
contiguous portion of the stack are deflected along a pair of
folding rollers 37, 38 or 39, 40 and the stack is then pressed into
a folding nip between the folding rollers 37, 38 or 39, 40 by one
of the folding knives 43, 44. Then the folding rollers are driven,
so that a fold is provided in the stack.
A folding station and folding method of the type as described
hereinbefore is described in more detail in U.S. Pat. No.
4,985,013, which is hereby referred to.
Connected to the folding station 32 is an inserter station 33. This
inserter station 33 is equipped with two magazines 34, 35 for
envelopes. As a basis for such an inserter station can serve an
inserter station which is described in more detail in European
patent application publication no. 0,781,671. The inserter station
has an envelope track 4 and an exit 18 for packaged mail items.
In assembling a mail item utilizing a system according to the
exemplary embodiment shown, the feeder stations 1, 2 feed documents
to the transport track 3. The documents are aligned by the aligning
station 16 into a stack on one side having substantially aligned
document edges. This stack is fed to the folding station 32 in a
direction transverse to the edges mentioned.
For scanning fed documents, downstream of the feeder stations 1, 2
and upstream of the aligning station 16, scanning means for
scanning a passing document to be gathered are arranged. According
to the present exemplary embodiment, the scanning means are
designed as a light source 63 and a photosensitive cell 64. By also
scanning the rotation of one of the transport rollers 27-30, for
instance the length of a passing document can be measured.
The above means 27-30, 63 and 64 for measuring the length of a
passing document to be gathered can be connected with a data
processor for inputting and storing a signal corresponding to the
measured length in that data processor. This signal in turn can be
used, for instance, as input datum for setting the folding station
32 in order to determine the number of folds, and the position and
the folding direction, such that the documents fit with a
particular play into a given envelope.
The scanning means can also comprise a scanner for scanning indicia
present on the documents, which scanner is connected with a data
processor. These indicia can consist, for instance, of coded
processing instructions on a main document. The data processor can,
on the basis of the scanned indicia, control the other stations of
the system, for instance for activating the proper feeder stations
1, 2 for adding the correct documents, setting the folding station
32, and selecting the proper envelope tray 34, 35 for feeding an
envelope.
The scanning means can further comprise a thickness meter for
measuring the thickness of a passing document to be gathered, which
thickness meter is connected with a data processor for inputting a
signal corresponding to the measured thickness into that data
processor. The signal corresponding to the measured thickness can
be compared with a reference signal to verify whether a single
document has been fed and is being transported, or an error has
occurred and no document or more than one document has been fed and
is being transported. When documents have mutually different
thicknesses, it can further be verified whether the correct
document has been fed and is being transported.
Prior to the start of a run or a job, a number of documents can be
fed, with each fed document being individually transported and
scanned downstream of the feeder stations. Data regarding these
documents, such as length and identification, as obtained in
scanning, can be stored. These data can subsequently be used in
controlling the system, for instance for controlling selected
feeder stations for feeding one or more documents located therein
or for setting the folding station 32.
More particularly, for instance, it can be determined which insert
documents are located in which feeder stations. In assembling the
mail items, these feeder stations can then be controlled depending
on indicia on the main documents, which indicia indicate which
insert documents are to be added. Accordingly, the system itself
then determines which feeder stations are to be controlled in order
for the correct insert documents to be added to a main document.
Neither the operator of the system nor the person responsible for
the determination of which insert document is to be added to which
main document needs to be concerned with this.
Further, main documents can be individually transported and scanned
downstream of the feeder stations, so that in each indicia on the
main document can be scanned. The information obtained upon
scanning the indicia can be used for controlling the system.
In order to determine which document is located in a feeder
station, it is possible, in scanning, to scan indicia of a passing
secondary document, and to store a document code corresponding to
the scanning result in a data processor in association with a
feeder station code belonging to the feeder station by which the
scanned document has been fed.
Instead, when scanning a particular passing secondary document, at
least a portion of that document can be optically scanned, and a
brightness pattern thereby obtained can be stored in a memory in
association with an associated document code. Further, in scanning
a passing next secondary document, at least a portion of that next
document can be optically scanned, whereafter a brightness pattern
thereby obtained is compared with the brightness pattern stored in
association with the associated document code.
In this way, it can be established which insert document is located
in a feeder station, without the insert document needing to be
provided with indicia.
The scanning of secondary documents for obtaining a brightness
pattern can be carried out with the same reading head 64 as the
scanning of indicia of a main document, which indicia represent,
for instance, operating instructions concerning a mail item to be
assembled, with which that main document is associated. In that
case, no special separate scanner for scanning brightness patterns
of secondary documents is needed.
It is also possible to scan the length and the thickness of a
document and to store a document code corresponding to the scanning
result in a data processor in association with a feeder station
code associated with the feeder station by which the scanned
document has been fed. When a next document is fed by that feeder
station, it can be checked, on the basis of the scanned length and
thickness thereof, whether that document agrees with the first
document fed by that feeder station.
The data regarding the length of a document can further be used for
determining the distance over which that document is displaced,
substantially against the feeding direction, until the trailing
edge thereof has been brought outside the feed track. What is
prevented by bringing the trailing edge of a document fed to the
aligning station 16 outside the feeding track is that a next fed
document which is to be added to the above-mentioned document abuts
against the edge of that above-mentioned document remote from the
stop 26.
The displacement substantially against the feeding direction can be
obtained in the apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment
represented in the drawing, by causing the conveyor belt 17 to move
along the aligning surface 19 in the direction of the folding
station 32. The previously trailing portion of the fed documents
will subsequently pass under the guide 61, so that this is not
displaced back in the direction of the feeder stations 1 and 2, but
is displaced outside of the portion of the transport track coming
from those stations 1 and 2. A next document which is passed along
the guide 61 will link up with the document having arrived last,
spaced from the trailing edge thereof, and hence not butt against
that formerly trailing edge of that document.
The feeder stations 1, 2 are each provided with a detector 15 just
upstream of the point where the feeding track of the respective
feeder station 1, 2 links up with the transport track 3. These
detectors 15 are each coupled to a control unit 31 of the
respective feeder station 1, 2 which control units 31 in their turn
are coupled with a central control unit 65. The control units 31
are each further coupled via a connection 70 with controls of the
drive (not shown) in order to enable a separated and fed mail
component to be stopped in a waiting position. From this waiting
position, it can be fed upon command (command coming from the
central control unit).
The control unit 65 is accommodated in the inserter station 33,
but, for the sake of clarity, is represented outside of this
inserter station 33. For the purpose of detecting, in a setting
phase, in which of said feeder stations mail components are
present, the control unit 65 controls the control units 31 of the
feeder stations 1 for them to feed a document. If thereupon within
a particular time interval of, for instance, 1 s, a document is
detected in the waiting position by the associated one of the
detectors 15, the feeder station is registered as being loaded. If
within the respective time interval this detector 15 does not
detect a document, the respective feeder station 1 is registered as
being empty.
In the example represented in the drawing, (counting from the top
down) the first, second and fourth feeder stations 1 and the
printer 2 contain documents or sheets, respectively, and the third
and the fifth feeder station are empty. Accordingly, the first,
second and fourth feeder station 1 and the printer 2 are registered
as being loaded and the third and fifth feeder station are
registered as being empty, because in response to a command to
bring a document into the waiting position, after the expiry of the
time interval available for that purpose, no document was detected
in the waiting position. The control unit 1 is further arranged for
bringing into operating condition the feeder stations 1 which have
been registered as being filled--i.e., in this example, the first,
second and fourth feeder station 1 and the printer 2--and for
bringing into a non-operating condition the feeder stations 1 which
have been registered as being empty--i.e., in this example, the
third and fifth feeder station 1--, and for subsequently, in an
operating phase, controlling for activation exclusively the feeder
stations 1 which are in operating condition.
It is also possible, for that matter, that the control unit, in
response to a particularly detected loading pattern of the feeder
stations 1, 2, does not bring the feeder stations directly into an
operating condition or non-operating condition, but first proposes
one or more system setting conditions, which may or may not have
been pre-inputted by the user or as service setting condition,
which are not applied until the selection of them is confirmed by
the operator of the system. Such system setting conditions can
contain, in addition to the operating and non-operating condition
of the different feeder stations 1, 2, 34, 35, other settings as
well, such as selection of the envelope feeder station, automatic
switch between two or more feeder stations when one or more of them
are empty, selective or non-selective insert addition depending on
indicia read or on data coming from an external source, etc.
The magazines of the envelope feeder stations 34, 35 are provided
with detectors 68, 69 which can detect when a particular minimum
quantity of envelopes has been reached. Of the envelope feeder
stations 34, 35, only the feeder station 34, 35 is brought into an
operating condition, in respect of which the control unit 65 has
registered that the associated detector 68, 69 has detected the
presence of a minimum amount of documents.
By detecting in a setting phase in which of the feeder stations 1,
2, 34, 35 mail components are present, and automatically bringing
into an operating condition only those feeder stations 1, 2, 34, 35
which have been registered as being filled, the necessity of
setting the system as regards the feeder stations 1 which are
active in operating condition is eliminated. Thus, at start-up, the
system itself determines which of the feeder stations must be
active in operation and which are to be left in or brought into a
different condition, such as a waiting position.
Because for detecting the presence of mail components in the feeder
stations 1, detectors 15 for detecting mail components in positions
downstream of the feeder stations 1 are used, which detectors 15
are coupled to the control unit 65 and indicate whether in response
to an activation of a feeder station a mail component is passing,
at start-up of the system, also the operation of the feeder
stations 1 is tested. The risk of improper operation of the system
after start-up is thereby considerably reduced.
In the operating phase of the system, signals indicating that a
specimen of the feeder stations 1 is empty are generated only if
absence of a mail component in a specimen of the feeder stations is
detected in combination with the respective specimen of the feeder
stations 1 being in operating condition. Thus, `empty` reports
regarding feeder stations 1 which have been set out of operations
are prevented. For generating `empty` signals, the system comprises
a buzzer 66 which produces a signal that can also be perceived if
the attention of persons present in the neighborhood of the system
is not focused on the system.
It is also possible, for that matter, to use a different, greater
minimum number or a greater amount of mail components as a
criterion for generating the `empty` signal. This provides the
advantage that an `empty` signal, or in fact `refill` signal, is
generated before the respective magazine is empty. This principle
is used in the feeder stations 34, 35 and is of particular
advantage therefor, because upon depletion of a magazine of
envelopes, it is often impossible to switch to supply from the
other one of the envelope feeder stations 34, 35 (which contains
envelopes of a different kind) and hence the system comes to a
halt.
In order to signal to the operator which of the feeder stations 1,
2, 34, 35 are in operating condition, the system comprises
signaling means in the form of a display 67 for signaling in a
human-perceptible form which of the feeder stations 1, 2, 34, 35
are in operating condition. It is also possible to provide the
feeder stations 1 with indicators, so that at start-up it can be
very easily verified whether all feeder stations with filled
magazine are in operating condition.
The control unit 65 is further arranged for automatically
determining standard (default) system settings depending on whether
different ones of the feeder stations 1, 2, 34, 35 are in operating
condition. If the lowermost of the feeder stations 1 is in
operating condition, the system is automatically set for the
selective supply of inserts from the other feeder stations and the
printer 2 in accordance with optical indicia detected by the
scanner 64. These standard setting conditions, for that matter, can
be manually modified, inter alia by opting for predetermined sets
of job settings.
It will be clear from the foregoing, to those skilled in the art,
that within the framework of the invention, many other embodiments
and variants are possible other than the examples described. Thus,
it is possible, for instance, that the control unit transmits
control signals to feeder stations not in the operating condition,
but that these do not result in a document being fed, and that in
that case also `magazine empty` signals are suppressed or are
provided with an addition so that they do not have the consequences
of normal `magazine empty` signals. The invention is also
applicable to systems for assembling mail items that work according
to the principle whereby inserts are annexed when other components
of a mail item pass along the respective feeder stations.
* * * * *